Resources

The 2020 edition of the African Economic Conference, jointly organized by African Development Bank (AfDB), the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is planned to be held virtually from 8 to 10 December 2020.​ Since its inception in 2006, the conference has fostered dialogue and the exchange of knowledge on a variety of issues and challenges that Africa has faced.​ ​ The theme of this year’s…

The practice of efficient PFM is now considered critical in combating corruption, alleviating poverty, and ensuring the effective  use of internal and external resources as an essential part of the development process. Sound PFM supports aggregate control,  prioritization, accountability, and efficiency in the management of public resources and delivery of services, which are critical to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG'…

The Arab region has the lowest representation of women in political life globally and is ranked the lowest in political participation on the gender gap index. This holds true at all levels of governance, including the parliament, government, civil service, judiciary and local councils. Women’s poor political representation also reflects their lower rates of political participation, which make them a less sought-after body of voters and limit the…

The Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts for North Africa (ICSOE) is a statutory, deliberative body responsible for the strategic direction of the activities of the ECA Office for North Africa.   The Committee meets annually to consider the Office’s activity report, achieved results, work programme and strategic orientations in accordance with the development priorities of the North African countries.   This annual…

Can smart cities help us achieve true sustainable development? With merely a decade to go to deliver on the 2030 agenda and the universal Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), digital development is seen as a forceful catalyst that can help governments close developmental gaps and accelerate progress. In particular, smart and sustainable cities are becoming microcosms of policy and governance transformation challenges we face in our drive…

SDGs National Reporting Platforms (NRPs) are essential to help member countries to achieve their national development goals and are crucial elements to monitor and report the progress towards achieving the SDGs at all levels. The objective of these platforms is to create sustainable pathways for sharing transparent information, offering easy analysis tools that enable Governments and policymakers set, evaluate their progress, and adjust…

Over the past decade, global economic growth rates have continuously declined. The extent of this trend, influenced by developments in digital technologies, are yet to be fully captured. Today, numerous national efforts are deemed to be largely ineffective in terms of their responsiveness to new and emerging social, economic and political landscapes. What are the strategic directions and policy roadmaps for a thriving digital economy that spans…

The AAPAM Gold Medal Award marks the exceptional achievement of an individual who has shown distinctive leadership or has made a significant contribution to excellence in public administration and management in Africa. Awarded after every three years, the AAPAM Gold Medal is the highest honour accorded by AAPAM to outstanding public service. Gold Medal Past Winners Dr. Najat Zarrouk (Kingdom of Morocco), in 2018    Amb. Francis Muthaura (…

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought chaos, uncertainty and supply chain disruptions to the global economy, impacted lives and livelihoods, and tested the resilience of governance systems, institutions and mechanisms in responding to the crisis. As the technical lead for the socio-economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the UN system, UNDP and its Country Offices worldwide are working to assess the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19…

We live in a world of rapid change that may be best characterized as a ‘VUCA world’: Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. Effectively, it is a new world where old laws and rules no longer apply. The advanced technologies of the digital age are disrupting ‘business as usual’ and no industry is immune. Not to be left behind, governments have to predict the future by imagining what the world will be like and ‘adapt’ at the same pace, all…

E-Handbook on SDG Framework and Metadata provide Up- to-date information on the Sustainable Development indicators, their Tier category and the official metadata as per custodian agency.  The E-Handbook is a resourceful tool that includes, where available, background information, country examples, and other resources to provide in-depth knowledge to data producers and users to improve collection, compilation and analysis. This document contains…

GEMS indicator aims to measure the maturity of government services provided through the portal and through mobile applications in the Arab region. It seeks to bridge the gap in most of the international indicators, related to service maturity, its use and user satisfaction. To this end, 84 government services have been identified, and it is necessary for each country to deliver them electronically for individuals and businesses. The principle of…